Christopher Casanova (Vice President, Film & Television of Black Bear Pictures)
When: Monday, October 23, 2023 - 5:00-6:15 pm CT
Note: Speaker sessions are subject to change based on evolving guest schedules.
Please join us for a Q&A session where we discuss Christopher Casanova's career trajectory, his roles and responsibilities, and his views on the current state of the media industries.
To RSVP, please fill out this form & we will send out the Zoom link day-of.
Speaker Biography
Christopher Casanova is Vice President of Film and Television at Black Bear Pictures, where he has worked since 2018.
At Black Bear, Christopher is actively involved across the company’s Film and TV slates, with a focus on filmmaker-driven genre fare. Recent projects include Dumb Money, directed by Craig Gillespie and starring Seth Rogen and Paul Dano, the upcoming horror-thriller Immaculate, starring Sydney Sweeney, and Andrew Patterson’s The Rivals of Amziah King, starring Matthew McConaughey.
Prior to joining the team at Black Bear, Christopher worked within Endeavor Content’s single picture finance and sales division. He began his career in the mailroom at William Morris Endeavor.
A first generation Cuban-American and a native Texan, Christopher earned a Bachelor of Science in Radio-Television-Film from The University of Texas at Austin.
Spring 2024 MIC Speakers
Feb 16. - Austin Animation Panel
Guests include Carrye Glazar (Executive Producer, Austin Community College Television), Brad Graeber (CEO, Powerhouse Animation Studios), Austin Harper (Supervising Producer, Rooster Teeth), Evan Narcisse (Senior Writer, Brass Lion Entertainment), and Craig Staggs (CEO, Minnow Mountain).
4:00 - 5:15 pm CT
Feb 20. - Scot Cru
Independent International Television & Media Consultant
12:30–1:45 pm CT
March 21 - Austin-Based Film Festivals Panel
Guests include Neha Aziz (Artistic Director, Austin Asian American Film Festival), Alka Bhanot (Co-Founder, Indie Meme), David Finkel (Director, Austin Jewish Film Festival), Todd Hogan (President, aGLIFF), and Gabriel Ornelas (Executive Director, Cine Las Americas).
4:00–5:15 pm CT
Apr. 1 - Patrick Schumacker
EP and Co-Showrunner of Abbott Elementary, Delicious Non Sequitur Productions and WB Television
5–6:15 pm CT
Apr. 9 - Amanda Harrell
Former EVP, Business and Legal Affairs, Alternative and Specials, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios
12:30–1:45 pm CT
Apr. 23 - Lee Solomon
Partner, Apollo Global Management LLC
12:30–1:45 pm CT
Fall 2023 MIC Speakers
Aug. 28 - Launching Your Career Panel
Guests include Ben Harizman (Executive Assistant to the CEO, OBB Media), Zachary Smith (Line Producer's Assistant, 20th Television), Hemrani Vyas (Assistant Manager of Programming, TCM), and Rachel Wang (Associate Producer, Up Entertainment).
5:00–6:15 pm CT
Sept. 11 - Launching Your Career, Screenwriter & Agent
Guests: Davia Carter (Tulsa King), Jim Ehrich (literary agent, Rothman Brecher Ehrich Livingston) & Cindy McCreery (RTF Interim Chair, Honey Girls)
5:00–6:15 pm CT
Sept. 18 - Brent Weinstein
Chief Development Officer, Candle Media
5:00–6:15 pm CT
Sept. 25 - Gail MacKinnon
Senior Executive Vice President, Global Policy & Government Affairs, Motion Picture Association
5:00-6:15pm CT
Oct. 2 - Dr. Thomas Schatz
Professor Emeritus, University of Texas at Austin
5:00–6:15 pm CT
Oct. 9 - Business of Music Panel
Guests include Wofford Denius (Attorney, Eisner, LLP), Jonathan Eshak (Co-President, Mick Music), Margaret Galton (Promoter, C3 Presents), Dan Goscombe (Managing Director, Cal Financial Group), and Kevin Shivers (Partner, WME).
5:00–6:15 pm CT
Oct. 16 - Amanda Barclay
Director, Comedy Series, Netflix
5:00-6:15pm CT
Oct. 23 - Christopher Casanova
Vice President, Film & Television, Black Bear Pictures
5:00-6:15pm CT
Oct 25 - Emerald Fennell
Writer, Director, Actress and Author
Promising Young Woman, Saltburn
6:00-7:15pm CT
Oct. 30 - Pastor Alvarado III
Executive Producer and Creative Director, Riverside Entertainment
5:00-6:15pm CT
Nov. 6 - Lucy Huang
Senior Production Executive, Amazon Studios
5:00-6:15pm CT
Nov. 9 - Bob Berney
CEO, Picturehouse
9:30-10:45am CT
Nov. 13 - Entertainment Law Panel
PJ Shapiro & Greg Slewett (lawyers and partners, Johnson Shapiro Slewett & Kole)
5:00–6:15 pm CT
Nov. 27 - David Tran
VP, Distribution Strategy and Analysis, Lionsgate
5:00-6:15pm CT
Dec. 4 - Austin Entertainment Industry
Guests include Alfred Gomez (Director, Programming & Development, Blind Nil), Jennifer Hutchins (Producer), Laura Kincaid (Director of Operations, ATX TV), Attia Rasul (Content Hub Editor, Atmosphere TV), and Vince Robinette (Controller, Amazon Studios and 20th Century Fox/Disney).
5:00–6:15 pm CT